The Princess Wars: The Sea's Wild Child
by jakbnimble
Summary: Feeling unwanted and alone in the palace of High Waters, Dalis decides to escape to the other world, hoping to find Princess Rose and bring her safely home. Can she manage it while also being haunted by the demons of her past? Sequel to The Princess Wars: Sleeping Beauty.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I appreciate you taking time to begin the sequel to ****_The Princess Wars: Sleeping Beauty_****! I can't promise two updates weekly as with the first story, but I hope you'll all still be pleased. Thank you, friends!**

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"I don't think this is such a good idea, Dalis," said Ruby, Dalis' best friend.

Dalis pushed a handful of Ruby's fiery red mane out of her face as it drifted up in the water. "Shh!" she whispered. "Do you want someone to hear us?"

"In all honesty, yes! Before we do anything stupid. You're always getting me into trouble. If you weren't a princess, my mother would never let me hang out with you."

"Oh, stop being such a wimp, Ruby!" Dalis peeked around the corner into the next hallway. "Clear!" she reported happily. Ruby followed her to the window at the end of the hall. A few thick bars that ran up and down the window was all that stood in the way of their freedom.

"How are we supposed to get through there?" Ruby asked with an expression of triumph.

But a scheming Dalis grinned as she easily pulled three bars off the window leaving just enough space for them to squeeze through.

Ruby gasped, "Dalis! That isn't safe. What if someone knew about this and came in during the middle of the night?"

"No one would dare sneak into my father's castle. They'd be insane!"

"You're insane for trying to sneak _out_! If he finds out about this, you're dead." Ruby bit her nails nervously. "Or worse, _I'm_ dead!"

"He won't find out. We'll be back in plenty of time for breakfast."

"Why are we doing this again?" whined Ruby.

"I overheard someone talking about a shipwreck not too far from here. Dad's pretty upset that it landed so close to Titania. He said it's 'just another human blight' he has to clean up."

Ruby's tone was unenthused, and her head bobbed side to side as she said, "And you want to check it out."

"Of course! They always have such cool stuff! Dad never lets me do anything with humans. That king and queen in High Waters have tried getting to know us, but he won't even talk to them. He'll only talk to their _fairies_."

"Humans are dangerous," whispered Ruby uneasily.

"They aren't any more dangerous than you or me. They aren't any more dangerous than that _fairy _that went rogue on her people and became a witch."

"Marina?"

"Yeah! She threatened to kill a baby! Plus, I think she's after more than what she lets on. I suspect that she'll make her way to the sea in no time. My dad needs to straighten out his priorities and start building bridges rather than tearing them down."

Ruby pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes at Dalis. "Have you been talking to your brother again?"

"Why do you say that?" asked Dalis innocently.

"You always sound more political after you've talked to him."

"Merrik is the smartest man I know! My father should listen to him more often."

"Yeah, well, Troy is next in line to the throne, and he agrees with your dad about these things. Face it, nothing's going to change for awhile, so you better get used to it."

Titania was soon out of sight, and the girls' worries began to fade away. "See, I told you we wouldn't get caught. We'll look at the ship for a few minutes, and then we'll come right back," Dalis promised.

"Well, I guess this is okay. As long as no one sees us sneaking back." As they drew nearer to the ship, Ruby's demeanor lightened, and she laughed with Dalis. "Not too loud, Dalis," she chuckled, placing her finger over her smiling lips.

Dalis mimicked her gesture playfully. "Okay, _Mom_!"

Refracted moonbeams revealed the sunken ship, and the two friends marveled at it together. "Wow!"

"You were right, Dalis. This is so worth it."

They swam quickly toward the ruins and began exploring. Dalis had done this many times before, so she knew exactly where she wanted to search first: the captain's quarters. _The back rooms always have the best stuff!_ she thought excitedly.

Ruby trailed closely behind her examining items here and there as they caught her interest. "Look at this," she said, but Dalis had her eyes fixated on a locked trunk.

She searched all the typical areas for keys, and she found a ring full of them inside a desk drawer. "Aha!" she exclaimed. She began testing the keys in the lock one by one. "Third one's the charm." She smiled as the lock opened and sank to the floor. Pulling open the lid, a gown began lifting from the chest as the water carried it upward. "Ruby," she gasped, "look at this."

Ruby drifted toward her and beamed when she saw the dress. "It's beautiful! Hold it up to you." She stood behind her friend as Dalis admired her slightly distorted reflection in a tall mirror, holding the dress against her body. "I bet that would fit you," Ruby commented.

"Dalis?" a foggy voice called. "Dalis? Did you hear me?"

Dalis awakened from her thoughts and refocused on the present. "Hunh?" she asked.

"I bet that would fit you." Audrey pointed to a gown positioned on a mannequin.

Dalis grinned and nodded her head. _I bet I'd look better in that wedding dress you're wearing,_ she thought enviously. _I'm the one who's supposed to be getting married anyway_. Audrey was engaged to Peter, the prince of High Waters and its surrounding kingdom, and Dalis was in love with him. She hadn't meant to fall in love with him. She was a refugee in his family's home, and she had fallen in love with him at, unbeknownst to her at the time, his engagement party.

"Why don't you try it on?" Audrey urged.

Dalis tried to hide her rolling eyes as she picked herself off her seat and asked the store attendant to assist her in putting on the gown. They stepped into a dressing room. The dress was a perfect fit. Audrey and Peter's mother, Queen Francis, lit up when they saw her step in front of the plethora of mirrors filling the room. "What a dream!" the queen raved. The outfit was pretty, but Dalis would never admit to liking it. It was made of light pink silk and was unique to other ball gowns she had seen. With an off the shoulder boat neckline, it hugged her curves to just below her waistline, accentuating all the best features of her body, and it flared out at the bottom. Her long brown red-streaked tendrils contrasted beautifully against the color of the dress.

"We call it mermaid style," the attendant informed them.

"How fitting," Francis said simply. "We'll take it."

Still examining her reflection, Dalis suddenly caught a glimpse of something in the mirror passing the store windows behind her. She spun around and saw Peter's troops returning from King Anthony's kingdom. Lifting the bottom of the gown, she rushed toward the door and exited the shop. Audrey and Francis were caught off guard by her unexpected action and remained inside, while the attendant chased after Dalis calling, "Princess? Princess! I need to help you out of the gown!"

Dalis looked up and down the line of soldiers as they marched through the streets, but she didn't see Peter. Many of them were wounded, and every one of them looked exhausted. "Dalis?" she heard someone call. Then she saw Peter pushing past several people making his way toward her. She couldn't help but smile widely seeing him healthy and uninjured. He wrapped his arms around her and gave her a long hug. "You look beautiful," he breathed softly.

She had almost forgotten about the dress. Her smile faded as she answered, "It's for your wedding."

"Oh," Peter said grimly. He lifted his eyes, gazing dismally into the store window. "You're with my mother?"

"And your fiancée. She's trying on dresses too." Sympathizing with the unhappy expression in his eyes, she decided to change the subject. "I'm glad you're okay. What happened to Marina? Is everyone alright? Nobody really seems that high-spirited."

"Rose tried to save her family by taking a potion Marina concocted, and it changed her for the worse. She left with Marina to find her son, Declan."

Dalis gasped, "No!"

"Phillip's devastated. Everyone is. Anthony sent us all home soon after the battle in order to report back to our leaders all that's happened. He said once he comes up with another plan, he'll send word." He glanced up at the shop window apprehensively. "I have to speak to my father. Will you just tell them that?"

"You mean Audrey and the queen?"

Peter nodded. "I just -" he hesitated. "I just can't right now."

Dalis understood. Since the announcement of his engagement, she felt like she and Peter shared the same disappointment. At first she felt betrayed by him because he had doted on her the way a man does when he courts a woman, leading her to believe that he wanted her, but he failed to inform her of his betrothal. Since that day, she avoided Peter at all costs. She had even tried running back home to Titania several times, but her father always sent her straight back. She wasn't sure whether or not Peter was truly in love with her, and but she did know that he didn't want to marry Audrey. "I'll tell them."

"Thank you." Peter rejoined the others and continued toward the castle.

As soon as he disappeared from her sight, Audrey and the queen joined her outside. "Are these our troops, returned?" Francis asked both excitedly and nervously.

Dalis nodded.

Audrey lifted her hand to cover her mouth. "They all look so worn. I hope Peter is okay."

"He was just here. He said he needed to debrief with his father. He knows you'll understand."

"Oh, of course," said Audrey sadly.

Francis took Audrey's hand. "Dear, you are going to be my son's wife, and a duty of a wife is to remain at her husband's side no matter what. You should go to him. Dalis and I will finish here and meet you back at the castle."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes! Go be with Peter. Who knows what he's been through? He needs you right now," Francis reiterated.

After changing into her normal clothing, Audrey climbed into the carriage and rode toward the castle.

_Great, now I'm stuck with her alone_, Dalis mourned. Francis paid for the pink gown as Dalis undressed, and another carriage arrived to transport her and the queen. "Dinner, please," the queen instructed the driver.

"We're going out to dinner? You and me? _Alone_?" Dalis was confused. "I thought you would want to see Peter."

"You already told me that he's alright, so I'll visit with him once he's had a chance to speak with Thomas. Until then, I was hoping you and I could spend some time getting to know each other a little better."

"Really? Why?"

Francis chuckled, "Why not?"

Dalis shrugged uneasily and stared out her window. On the way to the restaurant, she fiddled with her fingers and repeatedly glanced at Francis who kept a continual grin on her face.

"I know why you feel so awkward around me," she mused.

"I don't know what you're talking about," replied Dalis. "I don't feel awkward around you."

Francis laughed, "Oh, Dalis. Look at you! It's obvious you're uncomfortable right now. I've seen you with others in our court. I've seen you with Peter. You get along with everyone so well, and everyone loves you immediately. But you behave differently around Thomas, Audrey and myself."

"I'm sorry if I've made you feel uneasy, Your Highness. If I'm behaving differently, it's unintentional."

"There's no need for an apology. I haven't felt uneasy at all. I know why you behave differently around us."

"I _really_ don't know what you're talking about," she lied. _What does she know?_

"I knew from the moment you two danced together at his engagement gala that he had fallen head over heels for you, and I was right. You made such an impression on him that he begged us not to announce his engagement to Audrey. When we asked him why, he told us that he thought he was falling for you."

"He did?" Dalis tried not to smile, but she couldn't force away the curvature of her lips.

"He did," Francis continued, "but we couldn't do that. We had been working on finding him a suitable wife for quite some time, and everyone knew the party would end with his engagement announcement. You seem like a sweet girl, and I'm happy we can keep you safe in our home, but we've only just started getting to know your father, and an interspecies marriage has never been done before. Since the beginning of time, merpeople have never dealt with the surface population, and I wouldn't want to do anything to impede the progression of the alliance we've only recently developed. Do you understand?"

Dalis bit her bottom lip as she gave Francis a grievous nod. She couldn't bring herself to look Francis in the eye, so she kept her eyes on her lap instead. Then she returned to gazing out her window. Dalis held so much contempt for royal politics.

"Thank you for understanding," Francis continued. "I'm sure you also understand this means you should spend as little time with Peter as possible."

"Yes," Dalis said, swallowing a sob and willing away her tears.

Throughout dinner Francis behaved as though everything was fine. _She's talking to me as though I actually care. Why is she acting like nothing happened just now? It's just me here; she doesn't have to pretend_. Dalis hardly looked at Francis while they ate. She merely nudged the food on her plate back and forth, taking sips of her water every few minutes.

"Dalis, you've hardly touched your food. Are you not hungry?" Francis asked.

"I guess not," she replied plainly.

"Oh well. If you get hungry later, you know the kitchen is always open at home."

_Home,_ she thought disdainfully._ Your palace is _not_ my home_. Dalis missed her family, and the feeling only grew with each passing day. She sighed remembering how much she used to daydream about living on the surface. She'd pictured herself dancing, sunbathing, playing in the streets. But now she found herself wishing more and more that she could be back in Titania with her family - fin and all.

Dalis followed Francis into the castle when they returned, and began trudging up the steps to her bedroom. Peter stopped her. "Dalis?" he asked with a smile.

"Yes, Peter?" She tried to return his happy gaze.

"I know we weren't able to before, but I really need someone to talk to. Do you have time?"

Francis' words still echoed in her ears. "Sorry, Peter, but I can't. I'm just really tired tonight. Maybe another time."

"Oh," he said disappointedly. "Okay. Goodnight."

"Goodnight." Tears flowed down her cheeks the entire way to her bedroom. She closed the door behind her, threw herself onto her bed, and sobbed into her pillow. After a few minutes, she cried herself to sleep and began to dream.

She was thirteen again, exploring the sunken ship with Ruby. She had slipped on the dress, and the friends laughed at the unusual garb. "How can humans wear things like this?" asked Ruby.

"I think I can see it," Dalis said, tilting her head and examining herself in the mirror once more. "It's pretty."

"It is pretty, but I think I'd rather stick to our outfits. They're more practical." Ruby glanced down at her green, midriff-exposing tankini top. "And we don't have to worry about that other stuff they wear on their split fin, or legs, or whatever they call them," she added.

"Put this one on, Ruby." Dalis handed her another dress from the trunk.

"Okay," she laughed.

Dalis bowed at the waist with her right arm behind her back. "Lady Ruby," she joked in a haughty tone, "thank you for coming to our ball. I hope you enjoy the dancing."

"Why, thank you for the invitation, Princess Dalis. And yes, I _always_ love the dancing."

They held each others' hands as they spun in a circle pretending to dance. "I think it would be so fun to be a human," hummed Dalis. "I wish I had legs so I could really dance."

"Your wish is my command," hissed a voice from the shadows.

The girls hugged each other and backed away toward the wall. "Who's there?" asked Dalis nervously.

A sea serpent slithered into the light. Her scaly body was dark green, while her face, arms and torso were smooth and a lighter shade of green. Her blood red lips smiled, revealing pointed white teeth.

Dalis found her frighteningly beautiful for a snake. "What do you mean? You can give me legs?"

"That and anything else a human needs to survive. I can give it to you for a minimal price," she pledged.

"Who- Who are you?" Ruby stammered.

"My name is Simella. I have the power to help people, but I'm not a charity. You must pay me for my trouble."

"No way!" shouted Ruby. "Let's go, Dalis."

"Ah! I_ knew_ you were Princess Dalis. I could feel it in my soul. I'm offering you a day as a human, and all I want in exchange is..." she hesitated, glancing atop Dalis' head. "Your crown."

Dalis reached up and graced her golden tiara with her fingertips. "My crown? I don't know." She gazed at Ruby in trepidation. "I don't think my dad would approve of that."

"Is it special to you? Is it more important than a day as a human?" Simella asked.

"Well, I don't know..."

"Then why not trade it for a day of perfection?"

"No, Dalis," whispered Ruby. "Let's just go home."

Dalis contemplated silently, but only for a moment. "Okay, but you can't have it until after I return from the surface."

Simella grinned, "Deal."


	2. Chapter 2

Sunlight. Dalis winced as the light broke through the curtains and stung her eyes. Someone lightly rapped on the door, and Dalis assumed it was her maid, Susan. "Princess Dalis?" the woman called through the door.

"Come in," Dalis muttered.

The door opened, and Susan rolled in a tray of breakfast foods and beverages. "Aren't those the same clothes you were wearing yesterday, Princess?" she asked.

"Is there coffee?" said Dalis, ignoring Susan's comment. She didn't normally drink coffee, but she felt as though she needed some today after a night of restless sleep.

"Yes, Your Highness. I know you like it with sugar and white chocolate cream, so I've included them on the tray."

"Thank you," said Dalis, opening the curtain to allow more light in. "Princess Audrey is leaving today?" she asked casually.

"Yes. She and the royal family are eating breakfast right now. Her coach is ready to take her right after they finish."

When Audrey visited Peter and his family, Dalis was asked to have meals elsewhere. Nobody spoke of the reason why, but Dalis knew. "She doesn't like me very much, does she?"

"Pardon?" Susan gulped uncomfortably.

"It's okay. You don't have to say anything. I know you'll be waiting on her one day, so you don't want to say anything negative about her, but I can say whatever I want." She turned and faced the woman as she said, "I don't like her either."

Susan gulped again and stared at Dalis wide-eyed.

Dalis chuckled at the woman's expression. "You can go, Susan. Thank you for doing this for me. I'm grateful for it."

Susan curtsied and headed toward the exit, but her hand hovered over the doorknob. She told Dalis quietly, "For what it's worth, Your Highness, I enjoy waiting on you, and -" She paused a moment, continuing cautiously, "I wish I could serve you _all_ days."

Dalis smiled, and an idea struck her all of a sudden. "Susan, do you feel like going out today? It's so beautiful out; I thought I might go on a picnic."

"Oh, I'm sorry, Princess, but I was told you are already going out today."

"I am? Who told you that? Nobody told me."

"Prince Peter. He plans on hosting you today."

_Uh-oh_. "Does his mother know about this?"

"I don't know, Princess," she said, shaking her head slightly.

"Thank you."

Susan gave another quick curtsy before leaving the room.

"This is not good. This is not good. This is not good," Dalis muttered to herself. She paced back and forth thinking of an excuse not to go. Her eyes fell to the breakfast tray again, and she poured herself a cup of coffee, taking it to her balcony and staring out over the sea. _It's not as far as it looks_, she thought. _If I can make it there before anyone notices I'm gone, I'll just dip my feet in, turn back into a mermaid and swim away. Only I won't go home this time so Dad can just send me back! _King Calder became furious at all her past attempts to return home and threatened to stay on land himself if she didn't behave.

She placed her cup on the rail and rushed toward the door, but just as she reached for the knob, there was a knock. She slowly pulled open the door and saw Peter standing on the other side. "Good morning, Dalis," he grinned. Dalis couldn't help but smile when she saw him. "Princess," he began, "I don't know if you had other plans today, but I was hoping I could take you out."

"Uh," she mumbled. "Well, I did -"

"Please!" he pleaded. "So much happened, and I need to talk to someone about it. It would feel so great to get some things off my chest."

How could she say no to a request like that? "You could talk to Audrey," she suggested hesitantly.

"Audrey just left to go home, and besides, I don't feel close enough to her yet to discuss those kinds of things, or anything, really."

"You aren't any closer to her than you are to me, and you should try to get to know her, Peter. She's your fiancée. I won't be around as long as she will be." Dalis returned to her breakfast table and started spreading jelly on a piece of toast.

"I'll keep working on that," he replied nonchalantly. "Until then, will you _please_ come with me today? I bumped into Susan in the hall, and she mentioned you asked to go on a picnic. I'll take you on a picnic if that's what you'd like to do. Please?"

Dalis glanced at him and couldn't resist his pouty expression. "Fine," she chuckled.

Peter leapt for joy. "Perfect! I'll go ask the cooks to get the meal together, and I'll have a carriage ready for us in a few minutes. Meet me downstairs as soon as you're ready."

"Peter?"

"Yes?"

"Breakfast isn't even over. I won't be hungry if you start preparing everything now. Why don't we wait until this afternoon?"

"Because I can't wait! We'll have a breakfast picnic," he said excitedly, and before she could interject, he was out the door.

Dalis hurriedly got herself ready to go. "I'll just take this opportunity to push him in Audrey's direction," she reasoned with herself. "I'm not doing this because I'm in love with him; I'm doing this because it's my chance to do the right thing."

Peter was waiting outside holding the carriage door open for her. He helped her up and climbed in behind her. "I've already told the driver our plans for the day, so everything's taken care of. First we'll have our breakfast picnic in the park, and there will be a fair in town today, so I thought we might enjoy the festivities. And later, we can visit my favorite restaurant for dinner. Does this all sound okay to you?"

"Sounds perfect," she smiled.

Laughing and talking all day, it couldn't have been anymore perfect for Dalis. They did everything Peter had planned for them beginning with the picnic. Later they spent hours wandering through the town fair snacking on delicious treats, listening to music playing in the square, and dancing together. Dalis kept telling herself in the back of her mind that she should mention Audrey, but she couldn't force herself into bringing up the topic. _We make more sense than they do as a couple. Why does he have to marry her?_

The best part about their day for Dalis was that they spent it completely alone. The driver remained with the carriage, and nobody intruded on them. She found herself wishing the day would never end.

As evening approached, Peter took her to a boardwalk overlooking the sea. "It's so beautiful out there," he told her.

"It is."

"I wish I could visit your home," he confessed.

"Maybe someday you will. Phillip, Rose and Madeleine transformed into merpeople and visited Titania, so maybe a fairy can do the same for you. If they hadn't come, Marina wouldn't have attacked us, my father wouldn't have agreed to an alliance, and we never would have met. Funny how things work out, isn't it?"

"I'm glad I met you. I can't even imagine not knowing you." Peter stared at Dalis with an intense gaze, seemingly waiting for her to respond.

Dalis panicked. "I'm glad we're friends too," she murmured.

"You're glad we're... _friends_?" Peter asked, creasing his brow disappointedly.

"Yes. Aren't you?"

"Dalis, I think we're becoming more than just friends, don't you? Didn't you feel what I felt at the gala?"

"Are you referring to your _engagement_ gala, Peter? You do remember that you're _engaged_, right? We can't become anything more than friends. You must know that."

"I'm not in love with Audrey. I'll _never_ be in love with Audrey."

The pair glanced up as thunder suddenly roared overhead and gray clouds filled the sky. "We better start heading back," suggested Dalis. "It's going to rain." She walked quickly down the boardwalk away from Peter.

Peter rushed to catch up to her and stayed closely beside her. "Dalis, you can't tell me that you don't feel something between us. You felt it at the party when we first met. I know you did, and I felt it too."

"Again, at your _engagement _party. Peter, whatever we felt, whatever we feel, it doesn't matter. Even if you weren't engaged, we could never be together."

"Why not?"

"Your mother told me that it will never happen. My father would never allow it either. I may _look_ like I have legs, but the fact is, I'm not human. I'm a mermaid. Our parents can't see past that, and they never will."

Sheets of rain poured down, soaking their clothing and plastering their hair to their heads.

"I don't care if they can see past it or not. I can, and I love you." Peter grabbed Dalis by the arm, swinging her around to face him, and he held her prisoner by clasping her wrists in his hands. Then, pressing himself against her, he kissed her passionately.

Her mind told her to resist - to fight him off - but she was a slave to her physical wants. She surrendered to his kiss like she had always hoped to, her body trembling against his. When he freed her arms from his clutches, she wrapped them around his neck and pulled him closer, bringing his lips to hers once again.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Wow! I can't believe how many people started following me as an author recently, not just here but on my FictionPress account as well! Thank you, thank you, thank you!**

**And thank you, dkz27, JudexJass, and Brimo for being my first reviewers for ****_Wild Child_****. :-)**

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After yesterday's perfect moment, Dalis couldn't keep from grinning ear to ear. Susan came in early as she usually did and helped Dalis prepare for the day. "You're in a good mood today, Princess," she noticed.

"Yes. I feel good today."

"Will you be eating in the dining hall then today, Your Highness?"

"Yes, I think I will!" Dalis skipped out of her room and started down the hallway while Susan finished performing her duties. Just as she rounded the corner, she collided with Peter. They smiled at each other, but maintained their composure.

"May I walk with you?" asked Peter with a love-struck grin.

"Of course," Dalis grinned back.

They ambled through the hallways quietly for several minutes, when Peter finally broke the silence. "Dalis, please don't take offense to what I'm about to ask you," he began nervously.

"What is it, Peter?" she asked, her stomach already knotting.

"I need to discuss something with my parents today, and I'm asking for you to please stay away for awhile. Stay in your room, do something in town, anything to keep you away from them. I don't know how they'll react to what I have to tell them, and I'd hate for you to get caught in the crossfire."

"What are you planning to discuss with them?"

Peter sighed, and his breath quivered a bit. "I just..." he paused, "I just can't marry Audrey. It isn't fair to her that I'm in love with you, and it isn't fair to you and me either."

Dalis nodded her head in understanding. She did not envy Peter, and she certainly did not want to be there when his mother exploded with rage.

Peter squeezed her hand. "Thank you. I'll come to you later tonight and let you know their thoughts."

Dalis stifled a laugh because she already knew his parents' thoughts on the subject.

Breakfast was rather uneventful. The young pair sat silently across from each other, exchanging secret smiles of affection and remaining oblivious to anything else going on around them. Their happy gazes were soon interrupted by King Thomas. "Peter, what are your plans for today? I tried to find you yesterday and was told that you and Princess Dalis were spending the day together."

Dalis looked up nervously and caught a glimpse of Francis' unhappy expression.

"Well, Father, I was hoping to speak to you and Mother today. I believe Dalis has planned a special day for herself today."

Dalis nodded, making eye contact with a now content Francis. _She's happy... for now, _she thought.

After breakfast, Peter walked Dalis to her carriage. "I've been thinking a lot about Phillip," she told him before she climbed in.

"Phillip?" asked Peter confusedly. "What about him?"

"You said he was devastated about losing Rose, but Rose isn't really gone, right? She's under some kind of spell and joined Marina."

"Yes."

"Is there something we can do to help him find Rose? I feel like a lump sitting here doing nothing. I want to help."

"I wish there was some way _to_ help, Dalis, but I wouldn't even know where to begin. I found a note on my father's desk this morning. It was from Anthony. It says he's going to visit us soon to discuss a plan of action. I think they know something about Rose."

"Wonderful! That's great news."

"Once we hear what Anthony has to say, of course we'll help in any way we can."

"Right."

Peter helped her into the carriage, and she left the castle to spend her day on the beach. Several guards looked after her carefully since she was now considered a 'flight risk.' "I'm not going to try anything," she told the guard nearest her.

"Yes, Princess," he said simply, but he didn't make to move.

Dalis placed her hands on her hips. "So you don't have to stand there like that and watch me. You don't have to stay so close."

"Yes, Princess," he repeated, still not budging.

"Then why don't you take some time to yourself? Run some errands, read a book, anything."

"I like the fresh sea air," he smiled.

Dalis groaned in frustration as she lay out in the sand. She watched children run and splash in the water. The sound of seagulls filled her with peace. Then she began to daydream of her past.

It was sunrise after just having made her bargain with Simella. She was lying on the beach of High Waters, and sand covered the left side of her face. The dress from the ship was nearly dry. She rolled over onto her back and rubbed her aching head. Then a little boy stood over her, blocking the sun from her view. "Whatcha doin'?" he asked, removing a sucker from his mouth, then quickly putting it back in.

"Hunh?"

"Why are you laying out here?"

"Is this a dream?" Dalis asked.

The boy glanced around the area in confusion. "I don't think so. I don't feel asleep." He pinched his arm to be sure. "Ow!" he exclaimed. "Nope. Not a dream."

Dalis took a deep breath and sat upright. Overlooking the sea, she grinned with excitement. She slowly lifted her petticoats to her ankles. "Feet!" she said softly. "_Real_ feet."

The boy's brow furrowed. "Are you okay?"

Dalis pushed herself to her knees falling just short of his eye level. She kissed his cheek happily and shouted, "I'm fantastic!" She then rose to her feet and stumbled slightly. Catching herself, she moved cautiously moving up the beach toward the city.

The boy watched her gleefully, holding his hand to his cheek where she had kissed him.

She beamed as people bustled through the city. She recognized many things from books that had drifted into the sea. "Horses," she whispered, watching a man ride through town. She marveled at the smells coming from restaurants and food shops.

She noticed some people staring at her as she passed, which made her feel out of sorts. _I wonder what's wrong_, she thought. Then she saw her reflection in a store window. She gasped when she saw the state she was in. Seaweed covered her head, and there was sand still stuck to her skin. "Oops," she said, trying to make herself more presentable.

"Oh my!" a woman who was watching her said. "Don't you have any shoes, dear?"

"Shoes?" Dalis peeked down at her bare feet. "Oh, right. I have feet."

The woman chuckled. "Where are your parents? I can take you to them."

Dalis wasn't sure how to answer. "They're not here," she said simply.

"Your parents aren't here?" The woman's expression grew solemn. Dalis wasn't sure what the woman inferred from her response, but the next thing she knew, the woman was shoving her into her carriage to take her shopping. The woman bought her a new dress, new shoes, and offered her a meal.

"What do you think I should eat?" Dalis asked.

"What do you like?"

"I want to try something new." Dalis reviewed the menu over and over. "I think I'll have the beef and noodles," she decided. Several minutes later, Dalis wolfed down her meal when it arrived at the table. "This is delicious! I've never had anything like this before! Wow!"

"Well, how about dessert too then?" the woman smiled.

"Okay!" She read the menu again. "Strawberry ice cream?" When Dalis bit into the frozen treat, she felt as though she were in heaven. Tears of joy fell from her eyes.

"Are you okay, dear?" The woman seemed concerned.

"Strawberry ice cream," she whimpered joyously. "It's just... It's so..."

"Oh," the woman laughed. "I'm pleased you're enjoying it."

After their meal, the woman asked if there was anywhere else she could take her.

"No, thank you. I have to get back to the beach soon." Dalis smiled innocently.

"Why do you have to go to the beach?"

"My dad will kill me if I'm not home on time tonight. He's already going to wonder where I've been all day, and he will not like what I have to say."

"I thought you said your parents," she began, and she continued in a whisper, "weren't here."

"They're not," Dalis replied matter-of-factly. "They're in the sea."

The woman appeared confused, but she offered her address to Dalis and welcomed her to her home anytime she needed one.

"Thank you! Thank you for everything."

The day moved too quickly for Dalis. She moaned when she saw the sun beginning to set. _I guess I should get back now_. She kicked her feet in the sand, holding her shoes in her hands, as she returned to the water. "Ow!" she said, kicking something hard buried slightly beneath the sand. She knelt to find the object was her tiara. "Oh, good thing I found that. Otherwise Simella would be angry with me."

She dipped her feet into the water, and she felt the transformation occurring. Holding the tiara tightly in her hands, she quickly made her way back to the sunken ship. "Hello?" she asked inside. "Is anyone here? Simella?" Suddenly, her body slammed against the floor, and she hit her head so hard that she became disoriented. Someone gently pulled the tiara out of her hand. She opened her eyes, and to her surprise, it was her own body taking the tiara from her. "What's going on?" she mumbled, her heart beginning to pound in fear.

"Princess Dalis?" the guard said, interrupting her thoughts.

Dalis turned toward him.

"We should be heading back now. It looks like rain."

Dalis looked toward the sky as he pointed, and she saw the black clouds billowing toward them. "Okay," she sighed. Her stomach fluttered with a mixture of excitement and nervousness. _I wonder what Peter's parents said_. Her mind wandered to every scenario she could think of. The worst was Francis throwing her out into the streets out of anger. The best was Thomas and Francis being completely understanding of the situation, informing Audrey of Peter's decision, and changing the wedding plans to include Dalis as Peter's bride. _Wishful thinking_, she thought. _And I haven't even considered my own parents' reactions_.

Another carriage was waiting outside the castle when they arrived. Two fairies chatted with several guards under a stone awning, keeping out of the rain. _King Anthony?_ she wondered.

As she made her way to her bedroom, she heard murmuring from a side room. _No guard_, she noticed. _I think I'll take this opportunity_. She tiptoed to the door and turned the handle as slowly as possible, not making any noise. The door cracked open silently. "I can't believe they've run to the other world." Dalis recognized the voice as King Thomas'.

"Madeleine is sure she can track Rose down. She believes Rose will stay in familiar places. Phillip has gone with her, and the wardes will assist in tracking her," a man informed them. Now she was certain it was King Anthony. _Wardes?_ she pondered.

"What can we do, Anthony?" Francis asked.

"We'll be needing your services again in the event that Marina returns. I can't tell you how much I appreciate what you've already done, but unfortunately I must ask for more."

"Of course. We'll wait to hear from you in the future. Please send us updates," said Thomas.

"Of course."

"Anthony," Francis began, "may we ask something of you?"

"Anything. For everything you've done it would be an honor to repay you in any way I can."

"Peter is confused right now. You know that we're assisting King Calder by harboring his youngest daughter here."

"I do know about that. It's wonderful that the merpeople have agreed to ally with us after maintaining distance for so long."

"Yes, it is," Francis continued, "but Peter has come to us twice now, most recently today, informing us that he would like to end his marriage arrangement to Princess Audrey and instead marry Princess Dalis."

"He claims he is in love with her," added Thomas.

"Yes, but Peter _cannot_ marry her. King Calder has only recently began trusting humans, and we would hate to ruin that relationship. And an interspecies marriage is unheard of!" Francis sounded abhorred.

Dalis heard nothing for several minutes. Perhaps Anthony was considering his answer. Then finally he said, "You want me to take him or her with me when I leave today?"

"Please take Peter," confirmed Thomas.

_No!_ Tears welled in Dalis' eyes, and she covered her mouth to keep from sobbing out loud.

"We feel that some time apart may cause them to realize that the arrangement in place is what's best for everyone," said Francis.

"And we're hoping that the flame between them dies down in the meantime as well," said Thomas.

"We, of course, will keep Princess Dalis with us so she is protected from the sea serpent. Perhaps Peter could assist you while Phillip and Madeleine are away."

"Peter is a good man. He would be a great asset to me while I plan this war."

"Thank you," both Thomas and Francis said.

Dalis ran to her room and locked the door behind her. She threw herself on her bed and sobbed into the pillow. Just then, someone tried opening her door. She ignored it, thinking it was Susan. "Dalis?" Peter asked through the door.

Dalis hurried to the door and let him in. When he saw her crying, he held her close to him and said, "You already know."

She nodded her head against his chest, soaking his shirt with her tears.

"I'm sorry, Dalis. I'm so sorry."

"I guess I was sort of expecting this," she said. "I just didn't know it would end with them sending you away from me. Now I won't even get to see you."

He stroked her hair softly. "We could run away together and elope."

"No," she refused. "I won't let you do that. I won't let you sacrifice everything like that. I love you too much to do that." She looked into his eyes. "Peter, I love you."

He leaned down and kissed her passionately. "I won't leave you."

"I heard King Anthony say that Marina took Rose to the other world," she said, changing the subject.

Peter nodded. "Phillip and Madeleine are searching for her there with several wardes."

"Maybe we can go too," she suggested.

"What? No. I can't let you go there."

"Why not? I can't just sit here and do nothing. I can't stay here every day without you and be forced to live with two people that hate me. Doesn't your family have a talisman?"

"Yes. It's locked away in a glass case in the library. My father is the only one with a key. But going to the other world isn't the answer. We wouldn't know where to begin looking. We've never been there. And going after Marina is suicide. I can't lose you; I just got you."

"I'm tired of people giving up, Peter. I'm tired of excuses to not help. My father was like that until recently. I'm not going to be like that. I won't sit quietly anymore."

"I'm not giving up, Dalis. I'll never give up on you."

She placed her hand on his cheek. "I know you're not giving up, Peter. But I'm letting you go. I won't be the reason your life is ruined."

"You could never-"

Dalis interrupted him with a hard kiss. "Pursuing a relationship will only tear your family apart, and that would hurt your kingdom. It could spread even further by causing distrust amongst our kingdoms, resulting in the loss of this war."

"That's extreme."

"Love is extreme." She kissed him softly before lightly pushing him away from her. "You have to go now."

"I won't go," he said defiantly.

"Go now, Peter."

"Dalis-"

"_Go_, Peter." Her voice grew sterner.

He backed away with tears streaming down his face. "I can't believe you're doing this," he breathed.

Dalis fought her emotions with all her might. It took everything she had not to beg him to stay.

A few hours later Susan came to her room. "It's dinnertime, Princess," she informed her.

"I'm not feeling very well, Susan. I don't think I'll be joining them for dinner tonight."

"No? King Anthony is visiting, and he's very eager to meet you. I also believe this will be the last time you see Prince Peter for awhile. It's my understanding that he's leaving with King Anthony tomorrow."

"I know. I said goodbye earlier today."

"Oh, okay." Susan left after setting a cup of hot tea at Dalis' beside. "I hope you feel better."

Dalis sulked for several more hours, when she was suddenly overcome with a combination of rage, hurt and determination. "If no one else will make a move to help Phillip, I'll simply do it myself." Buried deep in the back of her closet, now hidden by dozens of gowns and shoes, was a pair of black pants, a loose white shirt and black boots. She changed into the outfit and waited for everyone to fall asleep.

When the castle was quiet, she slipped out the door and peered around for guards at attention. The coast was clear, so she snuck toward the library. _There's no way I'm getting into Thomas' room to get the key. _She recalled Peter mentioning the talisman was locked in a glass case in the library. Her plan was to smash the case, steal the talisman and venture into the other world. As for what she would do when she got there: _I'll just have to wing it_, she thought.

Making her way to the library was seamless. Stealthily weaving through palace halls was something she had done plenty of times before, making her an expert. To her relief, she found the door open when she arrived. It was difficult to see in the dark, so she strained her eyes examining the room for a glass case. Finding a group of them against a far wall, she pressed her face to each one searching for the talisman. Moving from one case to another, she did not see it.

_Where is it? _Feeling defeated, she glanced the room once more now that her eyes were adjusting. She noticed something in the center of the room. It appeared to be a podium, but it was clear. She crept toward it and realized that it was not a podium, but rather a showcase, and inside it was the talisman. An emblem shaped like a wave was hanging from a thick black necklace. _This must be it!_ She closed her eyes and took a deep breath as she positioned herself to push the case to the ground. Her eyes winced preparing for the deafening shatter. She jumped back slightly as it crashed to the floor, and she gasped when she heard a chair slide against the stone floor not very far away from her.

"Dalis?" It was Peter.

"Peter? What are you doing here?"

"I knew you'd come here tonight. I knew you would try this. I can't let you go. It's too dangerous!"

"I'm doing this, Peter," she said, bending over to pick up the necklace. She fiddled with it in her hands trying to make it work.

"Dalis? What are you doing?" Peter squinted his eyes as though unable to make her out.

"I said I'm going, Peter. You can't stop me."

"No, please, Dalis!" he begged, tripping over another chair. "Where will you go when you get there? How will you find Phillip? What if you run into Marina?"

"I'll figure it all out later. I always run with my crazy plans, and somehow they all end up working. I'll be fine. I'll come back; I promise."

Several voices suddenly began murmuring in the corridor. Dalis assumed they were guards. She continued touching the emblem, still unable to figure it out. She placed the necklace around her neck and squeezed the talisman in her fist. "Come on," she whispered. "Work."

Soon three guards entered the room. "Princess Dalis?" one of them asked. It was the same guard that watched her at the beach. "What are you doing?"

"I'm helping Prince Phillip in the other world." As she said the words, a strange sensation swept over her, and she felt herself fading away. She saw Peter calling out to her, but she couldn't hear anything he was saying. Then, she was gone.


	4. Chapter 4

Dalis found herself in a thick forest in what seemed like the middle of the night. A cool breeze bit her skin and she shivered harshly. An owl hooted somewhere in the distance, and she suddenly became more anxious causing her breathing and heart rate to quicken. Her head darted toward the sound of rustling brush. "Hello?" she whispered. "Is someone there?"

_Shut up, Dalis! _She scolded herself. _Are you trying to get yourself found and killed? _She got on all fours and felt around the ground for a makeshift weapon. Feeling a large rock, she picked it up and held it ready to throw. "Identify yourself," a male voice called softly but sternly.

Dalis wasn't sure if she should be honest or if she should lie. "I – I –" she sputtered.

"She's from our world. I can sense it," she heard another man's voice say.

"Where are you from?" the first man asked her.

"Calder's Sea." She swallowed hard, hoping the unknown men were friendly. _Please be Phillip_, she thought.

The first man's voice spoke up again. "Princess Dalis?"

Her eyes grew wide and hopeful. "Yes," she answered feebly. Suddenly a light appeared a few yards away from her, and she saw a figure approaching. Her grip on the rock loosened, but she didn't dare drop it just yet. She wanted to be sure she was safe.

"It's me, Phillip," he greeted happily. The second man emerged closely behind him.

"Phillip? Oh, thank goodness! I was hoping it was you," she sighed with relief, allowing the rock to fall to the ground.

"What are you doing here?" He was close enough now that she could just make out his facial features. Her eyes turned to the strange candle in his hand that created light. He lifted it, noticing her curious stare, and he answered her unspoken question. "It's called a flashlight."

"Oh," she replied, still not really understanding, but she decided not to dwell on it. "I came to help you find Rose. King Anthony just visited to tell us what happened. When he said you were here, I had to come too."

"He's only just now arrived in High Waters?" Phillip asked despairingly.

"Yes. Why? What's the matter?"

"I just hope that this curse lasts one of _our_ years, and not one of the other world's."

"What do you mean?" Dalis asked confusedly.

"How long ago was the attack on Marina?" Phillip asked.

"Peter just returned."

"We've been here three months. It's nearly winter here," he explained. "Time moves more quickly in the other world; we aren't sure why. But Rose only has one year before this curse becomes permanent."

"So she can be cured?" Dalis asked hopeful.

"Yes, but we aren't sure how it is done."

"Where's Madeleine?"

"She's sleeping. The other wardes are with her."

"Right. I overheard something about wardes. I don't know much about them."

"Well, this is George, and he's a warde," Phillip said as he gestured toward his companion.

George tipped his head and greeted her politely, "Please to meet you, Princess."

"And you," she replied.

"We should get back," announced Phillip. "We'll get you into something warmer than that dress."

Dalis followed the men to a large cottage in the woods not too far from where she appeared. "Home sweet home," said George as he plopped into a cushioned armchair.

Phillip took Dalis by the hand, leading her down a long hallway toward his bedroom. "You can stay in here," he told her. "You can wear my clothes for now, and maybe Madeleine can make you something else to wear tomorrow. There are extra blankets in that closet if you get too cold."

"Thanks, Phillip."

Phillip headed toward the door, but stopped in the doorway just before exiting. "I'm going to stay up a little longer with George to make sure no one followed you."

"No one followed me. I left straight from the castle."

"You used King Thomas' talisman?"

"Yeah."

"Peter didn't come with you?"

Dalis hesitated before answering, "I'll explain everything tomorrow."

Phillip nodded, but he appeared to already understand. "Okay. Get some rest."

Dalis smiled as she began to warm under her thick comforter, and her head raced excitedly as she thought of exploring the other world and finding Rose. But as she slept, nightmares of her past flooded her mind again.

"What's going on?" she asked, seeing her own body standing in front of her.

"Whatever do you mean, Princess? We had a deal, remember?" The person before her was her own self and spoke with her own voice, but she knew it was Simella.

"Simella? What did you do?" Dalis rose somewhat unsteadily and viewed herself in the mirror. She gasped in horror when she saw that she was in Simella's body.

"You promised me your crown in exchange for a day with legs." Simella grinned maliciously.

"I gave you my crown! You can have it. I never promised you my body!"

"It isn't my fault you're a foolish child and didn't understand our bargain. I didn't want your silly tiara. I wanted your royal right to the crown."

"My father will not allow this!"

"Your father cannot stop this. You made a deal with me, and there was even a witness."

"Ruby," Dalis remembered. "Where's Ruby?"

"She went home to conceal your disobedience. She's expecting you home any moment now, and she'll help me smooth everything over with _my_ father."

"He's not your father!"

"He is now. And don't even think about trying to go to Titania yourself to explain this to Calder. He'll have you killed on sight. Hasn't he ever told you about me?" she snuffed. "He doesn't trust me. He knows what I'm capable of. I have to admit that when I told you my name, and you didn't know me, I was a bit offended that Calder felt it was unnecessary to warn you about me, but it worked out in my favor, so all is forgiven."

Dalis bent over and cried into her palms.

"I hope your day was worth it, Princess Dalis. Goodbye." With those words, Simella swam away in Dalis' body toward Titania.

_What am I going to do?_ She sat helplessly on the floor, lost in thought with ideas and plans she knew would never work. Every few moments she would stare at her face in the mirror. Finally, exhausted, she fell asleep. She awoke to Ruby's voice. "Dalis?" Dalis opened her eyes and saw her friend hovering over her.

"Ruby? You know me like this?" Dalis gestured to her new body.

"Dalis, I _know_ my best friend. And the girl that met me this morning was _not_ my best friend. What happened?"

"She tricked me! She told me that the bargain was for my royal right to the crown, not the crown itself. Now I'm stuck like this, and I don't know what to do!" Dalis sobbed.

"I'll tell your dad," Ruby offered.

"No! Are you kidding me?"

"What else am I supposed to do? Who else will be able to fix this?"

"One: my father will not believe you. Two: my father will kill me!"

"Dalis, Simella is a terrible you. Your dad will know something's going on very soon. And would you rather stay stuck like this forever?" Ruby asked as she pointed at Dalis.

"No," Dalis replied solemnly. "Okay, tell my dad." But Dalis quickly changed her mind, "No, actually, tell Merrik first. Then he can tell my dad. He knows how to talk to him."

"Fine. I'm going right now. You stay here. Don't move."

"Okay," Dalis agreed. She watched her friend hurriedly swim away.

She hadn't waited very long when she heard someone call out, "Simella? Are you here?"

Frightened, Dalis slunk behind the desk and coiled her long, scaly tail beneath her. Then she took a handful of hair and pulled it down so as not to be lifted above the desk by the water.

"Simella, it's just me, Cade. Are you here?"

His voice was gentle, but Dalis didn't dare respond. She continued sitting silently under the desk. She heard him swim away, and only when she was sure he was gone did she lift her head up slightly and peek over the desktop. Sighing heavily, she stood up entirely. _He's gone_, she thought.

"Aha!" he called, jumping out from behind an open door. "I knew you were in here." She was surprised to see a young merman in front of her. His tan skin complimented his blond hair and dark brown eyes. She guessed he was eighteen. He smiled as he swam over to her, then wrapped his arms around her and kissed her lips.

Her eyes widened, and her body stiffened with shock. She wasn't sure how to react as this was her first kiss. When he pulled away, she remained in the same shocked position staring at the handsome man before her.

"Is everything alright?" he asked, gently placing his hands on her shoulders.

"Ye- yeah. Why wouldn't everything be alright?" Dalis panicked.

"You're behaving oddly," he grinned.

"Cade?" asked Dalis.

"Yeah?"

"Okay. Why are you…" She didn't understand how someone like him could end up with an evil sea serpent. Simella was beautiful in her own way, but she was still a snake, and her heart was black as night.

"Please don't break up with me!" he begged suddenly. He hugged her waist and pressed his head against her bosom.

Dalis stood, unmoving, as Cade clutched her tightly. "What? Don't break up with you?"

"I know you said we're through, but I _need_ you. Please don't break up with me."

Dalis was quiet for a moment as she tried to organize her thoughts._ She's breaking up with him? But he's... how can he...? _"Cade, you love Sim-" she stopped, catching herself, then continued, "me?"

"More than anything."

"Okay. Then don't be mad, but there's something I need to tell you about me." She decided that telling him the truth was the best answer. The only answer. "I'm not who you think I am."


	5. Chapter 5

"Dalis," said Phillip, shaking her awake.

She sat up groggily and rubbed her eyes. "Yes?"

"Sorry to wake you up; I'm sure you're tired, but Madeleine was hoping to speak with you."

"Okay, thanks," she yawned. As she got out of bed, she re-tied the drawstring on Phillip's flannel pajama pants that fit her loosely.

Phillip grinned. "I think she's going to help you with your clothes today, so you don't have to wear mine anymore."

"That would be nice," she replied with a smirk. Then she followed Phillip into the living room where Madeleine was waiting for her.

Madeleine greeted her with stern gaze. "Princess Dalis, does your father approve of you being here?"

"Do you even have to ask that question?" Dalis scoffed.

"No, I don't. Phillip told me you used King Thomas' talisman to get here. Does _he_ approve? Did he send you?"

"I think you know the answer to that question too. Why would he send me alone?"

Madeleine nodded. "So you stole his talisman _and_ came here without telling anyone. How did you even know where to go?"

"I didn't know where to go. I didn't even know how to use this thing." Dalis pulled the necklace out from under her shirt and examined the wave-shaped emblem.

"Then how did you find us?"

"I don't know. Peter was trying to stop me from coming. I kept trying to figure it out, but no matter what I did, I couldn't make it work. Then King Thomas and a bunch of guards came in and asked me what I was doing. I said I was coming here to help Phillip find Rose, and the next thing I knew, I was standing in the forest, and Phillip found me just a few minutes later."

"Usually, to make the talisman work you think of a location, then you arrive there. You thought of a _person_, and it took you to that person." Madeleine sat for a moment in quiet contemplation.

"I know what you're thinking," Phillip told Madeleine.

"You're gonna try to make the talisman lead you to Rose?" asked Dalis excitedly.

"Exactly," Madeleine confirmed.

"Wait, I have a question," Dalis started. "What are we gonna do if we find Rose? I heard she's... well... lost her ability to more-or-less _care_, and Marina won't just let her go without a fight. And I'm probably not very good at fighting on legs just yet."

"I can fight Marina," Madeleine said confidently.

"And I can take care of her son," added Phillip.

"We can handle things pretty well too," noted Lance.

Dalis stared at Lance confusedly. "Who are you?"

"Name's Lance. I'm a warde. I think you met George last night. And that's Raj and Dante."

"Oh, yeah," she grinned. "Nice to meet all of you." She stared at the men in wonderment, hoping she'd have a chance to speak to them later and find out everything she could about wardes. Then, shaking herself from her thoughts, she turned to Madeleine. "Where are we exactly? This place doesn't seem that different than home, other than the house and your clothes, of course; they're a little strange looking."

"We're in the mountains in a place called Colorado," Madeleine explained.

"Trust me," Phillip told her. "This place is _much_ different than our world."

Dalis took a moment to examine everything around her, and her eyes settled on a large black rectangle hanging on the wall. "What's that?" she asked, pointing to it.

"That's called a television," said Madeleine.

"What does it do?"

Madeleine picked a remote off an end table and pressed the power button. Dalis jumped as images appeared on the screen and sound bellowed from the speakers. "It's a commercial," Madeleine said.

"Those people are trapped in there?" Dalis asked as she cautiously approached the flat screen.

"No. This is something other worlders use for entertainment. It's called an electronic. They have so many forms of electronics that it would take too long to explain all of them right now."

"Amazing."

"You want to see something _really_ amazing?" Lance chuckled. He took the remote from Madeleine and changed the channel. An animated, singing, red-headed mermaid appeared on the screen.

Dalis gasped happily. "A mermaid? What is this?"

Phillip groaned and rubbed the bridge of his nose just between his eyes. "Lance, must we watch this _every_ day?"

Lance and the other wardes erupted in boisterous laughter. "Yes!" he breathed, wiping tears from his eyes. "Yes, we do."

Dalis' grin remained plastered across her lips. "So... what is it? Who is she?"

Phillip sighed, "I'll tell you later."

Madeleine stood and placed her hand on Dalis' shoulder. "How about I put you into some clothes that fit," she smiled. Pulling out her wand, she transformed Phillip's baggy nightclothes into a long-sleeved ivory sweater dress, dark brown skinny jeans, and ankle-high boots. Her hairstyle changed as well from bed head to thick bohemian braids on each side of her head pulled loosely back and tied together. "Now you're ready to go out."

"Thank you. I actually _really_ like this," Dalis grinned, gazing at her new outfit.

Lance, still watching the animated mermaid from the couch, sighed, "Okay, so when are we going to start looking for Rose again? I think we should wait until nightfall just in case we need cover."

"I agree," said Madeleine.

"Yeah, that's probably best." Phillip brushed his fingers through his hair with eagerness and frustration. "I just hope this works."

"We'll find her, Phillip," Dalis assured him. "We'll get her back."

Dalis spent much of her day introducing herself to the wardes. Being naturally outgoing, it wasn't difficult for her to get to know them, and they all quickly became friends. Even George, the most introverted of the pack, seemed to easily warm up to Dalis and spoke and laughed freely with her.

She also enjoyed learning more about the other world from Madeleine. Testing an mp3 player with the headphones still in her ears, she told Madeleine loudly, "The music is a lot different here, but I still like it! I like a lot about this place."

"I'm glad. I think out of anyone, you would fit in the best here."

"What?" Dalis asked loudly again, pulling out her headphones.

Madeleine chuckled, "I _said_ out of anyone I know, I think you would fit in the best here."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because you're a fun-loving, wild teenage girl that loves a good adventure."

"Really? You think? Everyone else calls me a troublemaker."

Madeleine laughed, "Oh, you _are_ a troublemaker, but you have a good heart. And I'm glad you decided to help us."

"Thanks."

As Madeleine fixed dinner, Dalis took a seat with the wardes and decided to ask about the mermaid from earlier. Phillip sighed again, but everyone ignored him. George took it upon himself to explain. "It's a story called, _The Little Mermaid_, and it's something other worlders label as a fairy tale. It's based off your life... sort of."

Dalis raised an eyebrow and stared at the television set. "What?" she asked plainly. "That's nothing like me. My best friend isn't a fish. I eat fish!"

"Ugh!" grumbled Dante.

"You _eat_ fish?" asked Lance. "Isn't that cannibalism?"

"Are you calling me a fish?"

"Uh... yes! In the sea, you are part fish, right?"

"On land you're made of meat, yet at lunch you seemed to _really_ enjoy that burger. Are _you_ a cannibal?"

"I'm not a cow, but you _are_ a fish!"

"So what, I'm just supposed to live off seaweed? Sharks eats fish, and I don't see you calling them cannibals."

"She has a point," George spoke up, laughing quietly to himself.

The group ate dinner, and time passed quickly after that; soon evening had fully set in. It was time to put their plan into motion. It was time to search for Rose.

* * *

**A/N: I wanted to try to get in one more chapter before the craziness of the holidays took over my life completely. :D Hope you enjoyed Dalis' first day in the other world! **


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